Refrigerator with ice dispensing means

ABSTRACT

A refrigerator having a freezer compartment is provided with an ice maker and storage receptacle positioned in the freezer compartment. Transport means in the receptacle conveys the ice from the receptacle out through a fixed panel or mullion at the front of the unit. In two preferred versions of the apparatus the mullion forms part of the closure of the freezer compartment, the remainder of the freezer compartment being closed, either by a pair of doors on each side of the fixed mullion or a single door having an opening therethrough to expose the mullion, so that in both cases the freezer door need not be opened in order to dispense the ice. Improved ice dispensing means employing a lift wheel is also disclosed for use with either version or in connection with a fixed panel mounted entirely within the freezer compartment.

Pink et a1.

UnitedStates Patent [191 REFRIGERATOR WITH ICE DISPENSING Inventors:John J. Pink, Cedar Rapids; Melvin H. Boldt, Glenview, both of I11.

Amana Refrigeration, Inc., Amana,

Iowa

July 14, 1972 Appl. No.: 271,797

[451 Mar. 26, 1974 Primary ExaminerWi1liam E. Wayner AssistantExaminer-William E. Tapolcai, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Haven E.Simmons; James C. Nemmers [5 7] ABSTRACT A refrigerator having a freezercompartment is provided with an ice maker and storage receptaclepositioned in the freezer compartment. Transport means in the receptacleconveys the ice from the receptacle out through a fixed panel or mullionat the front of the unit. In two preferred versions of the apparatus themullion forms part of the closure of the freezer compartment, theremainder of the freezer compartment being closed, either by a pair ofdoors on each side of the fixed mullion or a single door having anopening therethrough to expose the mullion, so that in both cases thefreezer door need not be opened in order to dispense the ice. Improvedice dispensing means employing a lift wheel is also disclosed for usewith either version or in connection with a fixed panel mounted entirelywithin the freezer compartment.

23 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures [52] US. Cl 62/266, 62/344, 221/265,222/370 1 [51] Int. Cl. F25d 23/02 [58] Field of Search 62/344, 266,381, 377; 222/370; 221/265 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS3,640,088 2/1972 Jacobus et a1. 62/344 3,151,668 10/1964 Zimmermann62/344 3,561,231 2/1971 Webb.... 62/344 3,276,224 10/1966 Lunde 62/3443.572.053 3/1971 Jacobus et alf. 62/344 3,537,273 10/1970 Alvarez 62/344|3- ,29 47\ O- 24 44 E: a?

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION If an automatic ice maker is employed in afreezer compartment, it is obviously convenient to be able to dispensethe ice, which is usually stored in a receptacle as it is manufactured,without opening the freezer door. Being able to do so also avoids lossof cold and influx of warm air when the door is opened. One well knownapproach is to dispense the ice directly through the freezer dooritself. This, however, entails considerable complexity because plainlypart of the dispensing mechanism must be carried on the freezer dooritself and thus move with it whenever it is opened for other purposes.It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a means ofdispensing ice exteriorly of the freezer door which does not require anyportion of the dispensing mechanism to move with the door, but insteadis independent of any opening of the door for other purposes. It isanother object of the present invention to provide improved icedispensing means for either dispensing ice exteriorly of the freezercompartment or within the compartment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION For dispensing ice exteriorly of the freezerdoor, particularly in the case of a side-byside type offreezerrefrigerator, a fixed panel or mullion closes a portion of thefreezer compartment intermediate its top and bottom. The remainder ofthe freezer compartment above and below the mullion is closed either bya pair of separate doors or by a single door with an opening through itto expose the mullion. Behind the latter is located the improved icedispensing means including a typical ice maker and storage bin orreceptacle. A motor driven helix moves the ice toward the front of thereceptacle where it is then elevated by a lift wheel," driven from oneend of the helix, and dispensed by gravity down an inclined chutethrough the mullion. The lift wheel is journaled about a fore and aftaxis and comprises a plurality of compartments about its periphery whichserially receive the ice from the helix and elevate it as the wheelrotates, the floors and walls of the compartments being inclined toassist the ice to gravitate from the wheel compartments down the chutethrough the mullion. The chute itselfis closed by a pair of inner andouter hinged doors. The inner door can open in one direction only by theweight of the ice discharged from the lift wheel, but is held shut if anattempt is made to open it in the other direction, as by an object orfinger inserted in the chute from the front of the mullion. The outerdoor, which serves normally to close the-chute against loss of cold airfrom the freezer compartment, is linked to an actuating mechanism on thefront of the mullion. When the latter is pushed, as by a container to befilled with ice, it opens the outer door for discharge of ice and at thesame time closes a switch to activate the motor driving the helix andlift wheel. Other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent from the drawings and from the moredetailed description which follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of aportion of the front of a typical side-by-side freezer-refrigeratorillustrating the fixed mullion and a pair of freezer doors thereaboveand below, certain portions of the mullion being broken away to show theactuating mechanism and the outer door closing the dispensing chute.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 3illustrating the front of the storage receptacle and the lift wheel.

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view, taken generally along the line 3-3of FIG. 2, illustrating the interior of the receptacle and the helix andlift wheel.

FIG. 4 is a section view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3 illustratingthe contour of the receptacle in which the helix operates.

FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 1 but illustrates a single freezer door havingan opening therethrough exposing the mullion and actuating mechanism.

FIG. 6 is a section view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a section view similar to FIG. 6 but illustrating the improvedice dispensing apparatus mounted on a mullion behind the freezer door.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIGS. 1-4, the refrigeratorcompartment of a typical side-by-side freezer-refrigerator is closed bya door 10 and the freezer compartment 11 partially closed by a pair ofspaced upper and lower doors 12. Between the latter is a horizontal,fixed panel or mullion 13, suitably insulated and secured to the sidewalls 14 of the cabinet, which closes the remainder of the freezercompartment 11. The doors 12 are sealed to the front of mu]- lion l3 andthe cabinet walls 14 by surrounding gaskets 15. Behind the rear face ofthe mullion l3 and below a shelf 16 is disposed an ice storage bin orreceptacle 17 extending rearwardly to the evaporator housing 18providing a shelf 19 upon which sits a typical automatic ice maker 20.The latter discharges into the receptacle 17 and is equipped with asensing arm 21 to shut off the ice maker 20 when the receptacle I7 isfull. The receptacle 17 includes a partial rear wall 22 below the icemaker 20 and side walls 23, the top edges of which are securedat 24 tothe cabinet side walls 14. The receptacle side walls 23 below the icemaker 20 slopingly converge at 25 and at their lower ends together forman open top, arcuate tunnel 26, for purposes to be described, whichextends forward from the rear wall 22. At the front end of the tunnel 26the side walls23 diverge to form a lift wheel housing having asemicircular lower wall 27, the front end of the receptacle 17 beingclosed by a vertical front wall 28. Spaced aft of the latter is anintermediate partition wall 29 extending down parallel to the front wall28 between the side walls 23 half-way or so into the forward end of thetunnel 26.

A helix 30, formed from suitable bar or wire stock, is disposed in thetunnel 26, the ends of the helix 30 being cranked along its axis andjournaled in the rear wall 22-and the partition wall 29. The rear end ofthe helix 30 is driven by a suitable electric motor and reduction gearbox 31 secured to the outer rear face of the rear wall 22, and the frontend of the helix 30 is fitted with a small drive pinion gear 32. Thelatter engages a larger driven gear 33 fixed on a shaft 34 extendinghorizontally between and journaled in the front wall 28 and thepartition wall 29. Just forward of the gear 33, a lift wheel 35 is alsofixed to the shaft 34 and rotates in its housing at the forward end ofthe receptacle 17, the diameter of the wheel 35 being a bit less thanthat of the lower housing wall 27. The body of the lift wheel 35 isfrusto-conical in shape, its peripheral wall 36 inclining toward themullion 13. Extending generally radially from the peripheral wall 36 area series of vanes 37 which divide the periphery of wheel 35 into icecompartements 38. The planes of the vanes 37 are angled relative to theaxis of the wheel 35 so that they incline in a trailing direction withrespect to the direction of rotation of the wheel 35 indicated by thearrow in FIG. 2. The receptacle front wall 28 is cut away as indicatedin H0. 2 to form a rectangular discharge port 39 so that just before thecompartments 38 reach the apogee of the wheel 35, the ice therein willgravitate therefrom through the port 39 owing to the inclination of thefloors of the compartments 38 formed by the peripheral wall 36 and thevanes 37. While the combinations including the lift wheel 35 set forthin the appended claims are the joint invention of both cinventors, thelift wheel 35 itself, is the sole invention of co-inventor John J. Pink.

The mullion 13 is formed with a laterally extending,

' rectangular recess 40 in its forward face which extends upwards toabout the level of the lower edge of the port 39. The recess 40 isfurther relieved upwardly in the vicinity of the port 39 to form alaterally extending pocket 41 whose rear wall is provided with arectangular passageway or chute 42 therethrough which inclines upwardlyto align with the port 39 so that the ice exiting through the latter canslide down the chute 42 into the recess 40, the latter also beingprovided with a container supporting floor 43 below the chute 42. Therear mouth of the chute ,42 is fitted with a door 44 hinged at 45 alongits top edge so that the door 44 can swing forwardly into the chute 42,but not rearwardly toward the port 39, upon contact by ice slidingthrough the latter. The from mouth of the chute 42 is also fitted with adoor 46 hinged at 47 along its top edge so that it can swing forwardlyinto the pocket 41. Straddling the door 46 is an actuating assemblycomprising a pair of depending arms 48, connected at their lower end bya cross bar 49, which are horizontally pivoted at 50 to the sidewalls ofthe pocket 41. One of the arms 48 is carried upwardly from its pivot 50and fitted with a suitable spring biased linkage Sl connecting the upperend of the arm 48 and the adjacent edge of the door 46 so that when thebar 49 is pushed rearwardly, as by a container placed in the recess 40,the door 46 is opened as indicated in FIG. 3.

One of the pivots 50 also incorporates a rotary switch 52 whichactivates the motor 31 when the bar 49 is pushed rearwardly. Upon themotor 31 being activated the helix 30 moves the ice forwardly in thetunnel 26. At the same time the helix 30 agitatcs the remaining ice inthe receptacle 17 to break up any fusion of the pieces and feeds the iceinto the tunnel 26. At the forward and of the helix the ice passes underthe lower edge of the partition wall 29 and is delivered serially intothe moving compartments 38 of the lift wheel 35 which of course isrotating with the helix 30 owing to the gears 32 and 33. The ice iselevated against the front receptacle wall 28 until it reaches the port39, whence it slides thcrethrough from the compartments 38, pushes openthe inner door 44, and slides down the chute 42 through the front door46 which is open owing to the position of the bar 49. in short, the iceis moved to the front of the receptacle 17, then elevated by the liftwheel 35, and finally discharged to the exterior of the freezercompartment 11 between the two freezer doors 12. When the bar 49 isreleased, the spring biased linkage 51 automatically closes the door 46to prevent escape of cold air from the freezer compartment 11. Even whenthe door 46 is open the rear door 44 remains shut until iceis actuallydelivered through it and prevents a finger or other object from beinginserted up the chute 42 into the revolving lift wheel 35.

As shown and described the recess 40 is formed wholly in the mullion l3.lf desired, it could be formed in the upper portion of the lower freezerdoor 12 so that the mullion 13 would be of much less heighth and containonly the pocket 41 together with an appropriately revised actuatingassembly to avoid its interference with the lower door 12 whenopened-for other purposes. Likewise, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a singlefreezer door 120 may be employed instead of two doors 12. in that casethe door 12a is provided with an opening therethroug'h coincidinggenerally with the outline of the recess 40a in the mullion 13a and issealed about the latter by gaskets 15a. As shown in FIG. 7,.a panel ormullion 13b and the remainder of the improved ice making and dispensingmechanism may be placed wholly behind a freezer door 12b as a separatesubassembly to be optionally added at any time to the unit. in thatcase, the outer chute door 46 and the linkage 51 can be omitted sincethere is no need to seal the front mouth of the chute 42. The adaptationshown in FIG. 7 is the sole invention of Richard D. Maxwell and not thatof either or both of the present co-inventors.

Though the invention has been described in terms of particularembodiments thereof, being the best modes known of carrying out the.invention, it is not limited to those embodiments alone. instead, thefollowing claims are to be read as encompassing all adaptations andmodifications of the invention falling within its spirit and scope.

We claim:

1. in a refrigeration unit having a food storage cabinet with avertically disposed front access opening, the cabinet including aninterior portion normally maintained at below freezing temperatures, thecombination therewith of a front closure fixed relative to the cabinetand closing a portion of the access opening; door means hinged relativeto the cabinet for normally closing the remainder of the access opening;ice apparatus disposed in the below freezing cabinet portion, the iceapparatus including an ice maker and an ice storage receptacle for icemanufactured by the ice maker; and dispensing means for dispensing icefrom the storage receptacle through the fixed closure, the dispensingmeans including power driven transport means, a dispausing aperturethrough the fixed closure and means for activating the transport means.the dispensing aper ture being effective to receive ice from thetransport means and to discharge the same to the exterior of the unit.

2. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein ice in the storage receptacle isdisposed generally below the dispensing aperture, and the transportmeans elevates the ice from the storage receptacle to the dispensingaperture.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the dispensing aperture comprises achute through the fixed closure having from and rear mouths, the chutebeing inclined to cause ice entering the rear chute mouth to gravitatedown the chute and out the front chute mouth, and including meansnormally closing the front chute mouth and operatively connected to thetransport activating means so that the front chute mouth opens when theactivating means activates the transport .means.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 including means normally closing the rearchute mouth and automatically opening the rear chute mouth by contacttherewith of ice carried thereagainst by the transport means butpreventing opening of the rear chute mouth by an object inserted throughthe front chute mouth against the rear chute mouth closing means.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fixed closure is disposedintermediate opposite margins of the access opening, and the door meanscomprises a pair of doors respectively closing the portions of theaccess opening to each side of the fixed closure.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the door means includes a singledoor having an opening therethrough, the fixed closure being exposedthrough the door opening for access of the dispensing aperture to theexterior of the unit.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 including a rearwardly extending recess inthe front face of the unit below the dispensing aperture.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the recess is formed wholly in thefixed closure and the actuating means is disposed in the recess foroperation by a container placed in ice receivingposition below thedispensing aperture.

9. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the ice transport means includesvertical lifting means and horizontal moving means, the lifting meansbeing disposed at the forward end of the receptacle and the moving meansrearward of the lifting means effective to move ice forward to thelifting means.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the lifting means comprises a powerdriven lift wheel rotating about a fore and aft axis, the wheelincluding a plurality of ice lifting compartments about its periphery,the lifting compartments being effective serially to receive ice fromthe ice moving means and to elevate and serially discharge the samethrough the dispensing aperture during rotation of the lift wheel.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein each of the lifting compartmentsincludes a floor inclined toward the dispensing aperture effective tocause ice to gravitate from the compartment through the aperture.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the moving means comprises a helixrotable about a fore and aft axis and a motor driving the rear end ofthe helix, the forward end of the helix being operatively connected tothe lift wheel for driving rotation of both the helix and the lift wheelby the motor.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the floor of the receptacleincludes a horizontal, open top tunnel portion rearward of the liftwheel in which the helix rotates, the side walls of the receptacle abovethe tunnel inclining downwardly toward the latter effective to directice in the receptacle toward and into the tunnel and helix.

14. For use with a refrigeration unit having a cabinet including afreezing compartment, ice apparatus including a fixed panel member fordisposition across the front of the compartment; an ice maker and an icestorage receptacle for ice manufactured by the ice maker disposedrearward of the panel member; and ice dispensing means for dispensingice from the storage recep'tacle through the panel member, thedispensing means comprising power driven transport means, a dispensingaperture through the panel member and means for actuating the transportmeans, the dispensing aperture being disposed generally above the ice.in the storage receptacle and the transport means elevating the ice fromthe receptacle to the dispensing aperture.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the ice transport means includesvertical lifting means and horizontal moving means, the lifting meansbeing disposed at the forward end of the receptacle and the moving meansrearward of the lifting means effective to move ice forward to thelifting means.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the lifting means comprises apower driven lift wheel rotating about a fore and aft axis, the wheelincluding a plurality of ice lifting compartments about its periphery,the lifting compartments being effective serially to receive ice fromthe moving means and to elevate and serially discharge the same throughthe dispensing aperture during rotation of the lift wheel.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein each of the lifting compartmentsincludes a floor inclined toward the dispensing aperture effective tocause ice to gravitate from the compartment through the aperture.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the moving means comprises a helixrotatable about a fore and aft axis and a motor driving the rear end ofthe helix, the forward end of the helix being operatively connected tothe lift wheel for driving rotation of both the helix and the lift wheelby the motor.

19. The' apparatus of claim 18 wherein the floor of the receptacleincludes a horizontal, open top tunnel positioned rearward of the liftwheel in which the helix rotates, the side walls of the receptacle abovethe tunnel inclining downwardly toward the latter effective to directice in the receptacle toward and into th tunnel and helix. I

20. in a refrigeration unit having a food storage cabinet with avertically disposed front access opening and door means hinged relativeto the cabinet for normally closing the front access opening, thecabinet including an interior portion normally maintained at belowfreezing temperatures, the combination therewith of a fixed frontexterior portion of the cabinet adjacent the door means; ice apparatusdisposed in the below freezing cabinet portion, the ice apparatusincluding an ice maker and an ice storage receptacle for icemanufactured by the ice maker; and dispensing means for dis-.

pensing ice'from the storage receptacle through the cabinet fixed frontexterior portion, the dispensing means including power driven transportmeans, a dispensing aperture through the cabinet fixed front exteriorportion, and means for activating the transport means, the dispensingaperture being effective to receive ice from the transport means and todischarge the same to the exterior of the unit.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the door means when closed formsat least part of the perimeter of the cabinet fixed front exteriorportion.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 including a rearwardly extending recess inthe front exterior of the unit below the dispensing aperture, andwherein the actuating means is disposed in the recess for operation by acontainer placed in ice receiving position below the dispensingaperture.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the recess is formed wholly in thecabinet fixed front exterior portion.

1. In a refrigeration unit having a food storage cabinet with avertically disposed front access opening, the cabinet including aninterior portion normally maintained at below freezing temperatures, thecombination therewith of a front closure fixed relative to the cabinetand closing a portion of the access opening; door means hinged relativeto the cabinet for normally closing the remainder of the access opening;ice apparatus disposed in the below freezing cabinet portion, the iceapparatus including an ice maker and an ice storage receptacle for icemanufactured by the ice maker; and dispensing means for dispensing icefrom the storage receptacle through the fixed closure, the dispensingmeans including power driven transport means, a dispensing aperturethrough the fixed closure and means for activating the transport means,the dispensing aperture being effective to receive ice from thetransport means and to discharge the same to the exterior of the unit.2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein ice in the storage receptacle isdisposed generally below the dispensing aperture, and the transportmeans elevates the ice from the storage receptacle to the dispensingaperture.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the dispensing aperturecomprises a chute through the fixed closure having front and rearmouths, the chute being inclined to cause ice entering the rear chutemouth to gravitate down the chute and out the front chute mouth, andincluding means normally closing the front chute mouth and operativelyconnected to the transport activating means so that the front chutemouth opens when the activating means activates the transport means. 4.The apparatus of claim 3 including means normally closing the rear chutemouth and automatically opening the rear chute mouth by contacttherewith of ice carried thereagainst by the transport means butpreventing opening of the rear chute mouth by an object inserted throughthe front chute mouth against the rear chute mouth closing means.
 5. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein the fixed closure is disposed intermediateopposite marGins of the access opening, and the door means comprises apair of doors respectively closing the portions of the access opening toeach side of the fixed closure.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein thedoor means includes a single door having an opening therethrough, thefixed closure being exposed through the door opening for access of thedispensing aperture to the exterior of the unit.
 7. The apparatus ofclaim 1 including a rearwardly extending recess in the front face of theunit below the dispensing aperture.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7 whereinthe recess is formed wholly in the fixed closure and the actuating meansis disposed in the recess for operation by a container placed in icereceiving position below the dispensing aperture.
 9. The apparatus ofclaim 2 wherein the ice transport means includes vertical lifting meansand horizontal moving means, the lifting means being disposed at theforward end of the receptacle and the moving means rearward of thelifting means effective to move ice forward to the lifting means. 10.The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the lifting means comprises a powerdriven lift wheel rotating about a fore and aft axis, the wheelincluding a plurality of ice lifting compartments about its periphery,the lifting compartments being effective serially to receive ice fromthe ice moving means and to elevate and serially discharge the samethrough the dispensing aperture during rotation of the lift wheel. 11.The apparatus of claim 10 wherein each of the lifting compartmentsincludes a floor inclined toward the dispensing aperture effective tocause ice to gravitate from the compartment through the aperture. 12.The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the moving means comprises a helixrotable about a fore and aft axis and a motor driving the rear end ofthe helix, the forward end of the helix being operatively connected tothe lift wheel for driving rotation of both the helix and the lift wheelby the motor.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the floor of thereceptacle includes a horizontal, open top tunnel portion rearward ofthe lift wheel in which the helix rotates, the side walls of thereceptacle above the tunnel inclining downwardly toward the lattereffective to direct ice in the receptacle toward and into the tunnel andhelix.
 14. For use with a refrigeration unit having a cabinet includinga freezing compartment, ice apparatus including a fixed panel member fordisposition across the front of the compartment; an ice maker and an icestorage receptacle for ice manufactured by the ice maker disposedrearward of the panel member; and ice dispensing means for dispensingice from the storage receptacle through the panel member, the dispensingmeans comprising power driven transport means, a dispensing aperturethrough the panel member and means for actuating the transport means,the dispensing aperture being disposed generally above the ice in thestorage receptacle and the transport means elevating the ice from thereceptacle to the dispensing aperture.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14wherein the ice transport means includes vertical lifting means andhorizontal moving means, the lifting means being disposed at the forwardend of the receptacle and the moving means rearward of the lifting meanseffective to move ice forward to the lifting means.
 16. The apparatus ofclaim 15 wherein the lifting means comprises a power driven lift wheelrotating about a fore and aft axis, the wheel including a plurality ofice lifting compartments about its periphery, the lifting compartmentsbeing effective serially to receive ice from the moving means and toelevate and serially discharge the same through the dispensing apertureduring rotation of the lift wheel.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16 whereineach of the lifting compartments includes a floor inclined toward thedispensing aperture effective to cause ice to gravitate from thecompartment through the aperture.
 18. The apparatus of claim 16 whereinthe moving means compriseS a helix rotatable about a fore and aft axisand a motor driving the rear end of the helix, the forward end of thehelix being operatively connected to the lift wheel for driving rotationof both the helix and the lift wheel by the motor.
 19. The apparatus ofclaim 18 wherein the floor of the receptacle includes a horizontal, opentop tunnel positioned rearward of the lift wheel in which the helixrotates, the side walls of the receptacle above the tunnel incliningdownwardly toward the latter effective to direct ice in the receptacletoward and into th tunnel and helix.
 20. In a refrigeration unit havinga food storage cabinet with a vertically disposed front access openingand door means hinged relative to the cabinet for normally closing thefront access opening, the cabinet including an interior portion normallymaintained at below freezing temperatures, the combination therewith ofa fixed front exterior portion of the cabinet adjacent the door means;ice apparatus disposed in the below freezing cabinet portion, the iceapparatus including an ice maker and an ice storage receptacle for icemanufactured by the ice maker; and dispensing means for dispensing icefrom the storage receptacle through the cabinet fixed front exteriorportion, the dispensing means including power driven transport means, adispensing aperture through the cabinet fixed front exterior portion,and means for activating the transport means, the dispensing aperturebeing effective to receive ice from the transport means and to dischargethe same to the exterior of the unit.
 21. The apparatus of claim 20wherein the door means when closed forms at least part of the perimeterof the cabinet fixed front exterior portion.
 22. The apparatus of claim20 including a rearwardly extending recess in the front exterior of theunit below the dispensing aperture, and wherein the actuating means isdisposed in the recess for operation by a container placed in icereceiving position below the dispensing aperture.
 23. The apparatus ofclaim 22 wherein the recess is formed wholly in the cabinet fixed frontexterior portion.